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Lie on your back on an incline bench set between 15 and 30 degrees, and hold a pair of dumbbells above your shoulders with your arms straight. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest. Pause, and then push them back up. Do 10 reps and rest for 20 seconds. Decrease the weight of the dumbbells by 20 to 30 percent and perform 10 more reps.

Assume a pushup position with your hands on a bench. (The higher the bench, the easier the exercise.) Your body should form a straight line from ankles to head. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the bench. Then push up with enough force so your hands leave the bench. Land with your hands on the bench and repeat. Do 5 to 10 reps.

Hang at arm's length from a chinup bar using an overhand grip that's slightly beyond shoulder width. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your chest to the bar. Pause, and then return to the starting position. Do 5 to 10 reps.

Secure a bar in a power rack at about waist height. Drape two towels over the middle of the bar so they're slightly beyond shoulder width. Grab the ends and hang from them with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor, and your body straight from knees to head. Pull your chest toward the bar. Pause, and then slowly return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, place your left hand on a bench in front of you, and assume a staggered stance, left foot forward. Hold your elbow in as you row the wight to the side of your torso. Do 10 reps, switch arms and leg positions, and repeat the movement.

Grab a pair of dumbbells, bend your knees and lean forward so your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Tuck your upper arms next to your sides, bend your elbows, and hold your forearms about parallel to the floor, palms facing up. Simultaneously extend your arms straight back and rotate the weight so your palms end up facing each other. Return to the starting position. Do 15 reps.

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a pair of dumbbells at arm's length by your sides, palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arms, curl the weights to your shoulders, and then press them overhead until your arms are straight. Reverse the move to return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Aspects of Weight Training for Women

Women, who are significantly more likely to suffer bone loss, weakness, and fractures later in life, need weight training even more than men. For women, osteoporosis should be the scariest word in the English language. This debilitating condition, in which bone becomes less dense and therefore more fragile, afflicts 25 million Americans, 80percent of them women. Osteoporosis is serious bone loss that comes with age, inactivity, and calcium depletion.

Beginning at about age 35, an adult woman can lose 1 percent of her bone mass every year, which translates to 5 to 7 pounds per decade. During and after menopause, a woman's muscle loss speeds up. Miriam Nelson, a physiologist at Tufts University, studied 40 postmenopausal women. The women in the control group who did not exercise lost 2 percent of their bone mass in a year. Those who weight-trained regained 1 percent of previously lost bone mass.

Between the ages of 35 and 55, the bone density of a woman who does not counteract this syndrome will be diminished by roughly 20 percent.
Because unchecked bone loss accelerates after menopause, by age 75, this same woman will have lost 50 percent of her bone mass, becoming frail, hunched-over, and injuryprone. No wonder many old ladies are frail and ultimately incapacitated. Isn't this reason enough for every woman to weight-train?

As important as strength training is for women—both for present activities and for future health—some women shy away from it because they are afraid of developing big, bulging muscles. Not to worry. Most women are genetically programmed to build long, lean muscles rather than round, bulky ones. Women who begin strength training replace fat with lean muscle. As you workout, you actually will find that you become more toned and slimmer from strength training, even if the number on the scale doesn't drop.

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Ultimate 30's Workout

Increase the amount of testosterone and growth hormone your body produces by working multiple muscle groups and keeping rest periods short. For cardio, your lactate threshold can still be increased throughout your thirties, so intervals are king to counter any loss of lung power.

Ultimate 40's Workout

Short, sharp shocks are the way to fire up your body in your middle years - which means you can forget long-winded weights workouts. Vary exercises, intensity and timings to keep your muscles guessing.

Ultimate 50's Workout

You may not be able to lift the heaviest weight, but that's okay. Instead, stretching and yoga should be part of your training, and body-weight moves can replace heavy workouts. Do three sets of 10 reps of the following exercises to protect your joints and maintain muscle mass and testosterone.